Poem by Ahmed Matar
translated by Zahra Al Zuwayed

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THE END OF THE PROJECT

Get a basket.
Throw a rigged election in
and corrupt media,
and a horn, and a drum,
and a rope,
and a knife,
and a lock, and remember the passcode.
Then throw in a dog that bites big,
and runs faster than its shadow,
that sees things that do not exist
and hears the laughter of the ants.
Mix them all together.
Make sure the basket lid is closed.

Pull up a chair and sit down.
You have a country now.